Sustainable Forestry Partnership National Expansion Conference

Meridian Institute was hired to facilitate a two-and-a-half day conference to discuss whether and how to expand the Sustainable Forest Partnership (SFP). The SFP is comprised of forestry faculty from Oregon State University, Auburn University, and Pennsylvania State University, as well as representatives from the US Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. The long-term goal of the SFP is to work regionally and nationally through partnerships and research to broadly encourage sustainable forest resource management.

The SFP hired Meridian to facilitate a conference in Denver, Colorado, among 35 participants—including SFP members and faculty from ten additional academic institutions—to discuss whether and how to expand the SFP to meet the growing demand for sustainable forest management information and application. Conference participants supported the expansion of the SFP and agreed on the elements of an expanded organization, including the mission and goals and aspects of organizational structure, leadership, identity, distinction, fiscal administration, and a system for accountability. Each participant expressed a commitment to explore membership in the expanded partnership going forward.